Child Brings Toy Gun to School

On May 20, 2022, at about 0852 hours, Newark Police were notified by the staff at John R. Downes Elementary School, 220 Casho Mill Road, that they received a report that a student brought a BB gun to school.  A Newark Police School Resource Officer (SRO) responded to the school and found the staff already had the student in the office.

An investigation determined that an 11 year-old student brought a plastic gun, which was an obvious toy and not a BB gun, to school and was showing it to other students.  Another student alerted school staff and staff immediately contacted the student with the toy.  The student turned over the toy gun to staff.

The SRO took custody of the toy gun and the student’s parent was notified.

There were no threats involved and no crime has been established to have occurred.

For questions about the status of the student, or any action by the school district, contact the Christina School District.